Glycerin is a raw material produced as a byproduct in production of bio-diesel fuel, practical use of which in the future has been expected. Glycerin is derived from a natural product called carbon neutral and has higher significance under current energy-related circumstances in view of environmental protection.
Thus, to produce hydrogen via reaction-reforming using glycerin is socially very significant. The produced hydrogen is applicable to chemical materials for fuel cells, hydrogen-added reactions, etc., and fuel sources for hydrogen vehicles.
However, the current circumstances are that development in this technique has not been much studied or reported and that only several studies have been just reported in academic papers in recent years.
For example, it has been reported in non-patent document 1 that the types of catalyst metals which are excellent in steam reforming from glycerin have been studied using a fixed bed reactor. In non-patent document 2, the possibility of producing hydrogen from glycerin using nickel catalyst in a subcritical water field has been reported. However, the methods disclosed in non-patent documents 1 and 2 can produce hydrogen at a certain level of purity but are not satisfactory in production as to the time necessary for reaction and yield.
There are only several studies and reports on the reactors used for steam reforming of glycerin. However, there are documents which disclose similar techniques relating to a methanol reforming device used for fuel cells.
Patent document 1 discloses a microreactor for reforming a raw material to produce hydrogen gas. The microreactor has a metal substrate having microgrooves on its one surface, a heating element set on the other surface of the metal substrate via an insulation film, a catalyst carried in the microgrooves, and a cover member having a raw material inlet and a gas outlet and joined to the metal substrate so as to cover the microgrooves.
Patent document 2 discloses a chemical reaction apparatus having a continuous reaction path. The chemical reaction apparatus includes: a temperature adjustment layer which corresponds to a region including the reaction paths and supplies a certain quantity of heat; a first electrode layer formed in a first region over the temperature adjustment layer; an insulating layer formed in a second region other than the first region over the temperature adjustment layer; and a second electrode layer lying over the first electrode layer for supplying power via the first electrode layer to produce a certain quantity of heat in the temperature adjustment layer, wherein the insulating layer is integral with the first electrode layer and is made of an insulating material obtained by oxidizing a conductive material of the first electrode layer.    [Non-patent Document 1] Summaries of Symposiums and Lectures on Petroleum and Petrochemistry, 2005, No. 34, p. 248    [Non-patent Document 2] Proceedings of Lectures, the Chemical Society of Japan, 2005, No. 85, Vol. 2, p. 1430    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-256387    [Patent Document 2] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-63131